Play the Game Tonight
by Tai Chick
Summary: Takes place right after the last episode of Gundam Wing, then does a time jump to after "Endless Waltz". Focuses on the revenge of the real Barton Family. Timishi Barton, who has gone insane after the death of his entire family plans to take revenge on H


Just for the record I do not own Gundam Wing. I wish I did...hum...that's an interesting thought ::dream bubble pops:: Erm...where was I? Oh yeah ::ahem:: I do not recommend that anyone reads this who has not seen Endless Waltz, I suppose you could but you might be confused at a couple of parts.

I decided to keep the shoneni-ai in this down to a minimum so that all people could enjoy it, but it is there so be warned. I don't know if Lady Une took care of Mariemaia after she was healed, but I thought it fit so that's what I did. Major angst, but no one dies, I hate death fics. Erm...anyways on with the fic!

  
  


Play the Game Tonight

  
  


A.C. 195

  
  


The war is over, but only by minutes. The five Gundams and their pilots lay in a field on earth, panting from exhaustion and relief...but most of all relief.

Duo was the first one to jump from his huge machine, yelling countless words of joy.

Trowa was next, but his deep green eyes were filled with worry. He dashed over to Sandrock where his friend Quatre lay in pain from the sword fight he had with Dorothy only hours before.

"Are you alright Quatre?" Trowa asked gently slipping his hand around the boys waist.

"I'll be okay...I am a Gundam pilot after all." Quatre replied, trying to smile, but he ended up wincing in pain.

"We need to get you to a hospital." He said simply, then called to Duo.

"Yeah Trowa?" He asked jogging over. Wufei and Heero ran up as well looking concerned.

"Could you please find the nearest hospital? I want to get Quatre out of here before the press shows up."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wufei, Heero, Duo and Trowa sat in the small waiting room of the hospital, waiting for the doctor to come and tell them that Quatre was going to be alright. The small boy had been in surgery for nearly two hours. The wound was worse than anyone had thought.

Duo sighed and put his hands behind his head. "You think Quatre's going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine." Heero stated, trying to sound more confident than he felt, but Quatre was strong, he'd pull through okay.

Duo looked at his stoic friends and sighed. He was sure that Quatre was going to be okay too, but they just had better ways of showing it. Yet he couldn't help but notice that Trowa couldn't keep his hands still.

"Friends of Mr. Winner I presume?" A voice asked.

All heads shot up at once to look at him...except Duo, his whole body shot up. 

The doctor smiled in amusement before continuing. "You'll be pleased to know that you're friend is going to be just fine. Though I am going to ask you not to see him tonight. He is frail and needs his rest." 

No one said anything. They were all dealing with their own feelings of relief. 

Seeing that no one had any questions the doctor continued on his rounds.

They all sat in silence. Finally thinking about what they were to do now. They all figured that they would separate, but Heero was the first to try and leave.

"Where you going Heero?" Duo asked.

"I'm not sure. The world doesn't have a place for a perfect soldier anymore." And with that he walked away. No one tried to stop him...but he turned back suddenly. "Tell Quatre I hope he feels better soon. He was a good friend to me." His shadow could be seen walking across the wet grass outside the glass doors into the darkness.

Trowa sighed inwardly. He wanted to tell Quatre to feel better too, but would never have the courage to say anything.

Suddenly Trowa felt cold all over. Something was very, very wrong.

The hospital doors swung open and three large men walked through looking mean and tough. "Trowa Barton?" the one in the front demanded. Trowa recognized him instantly and stood, but didn't say a word. He only returned the glare the man was giving him.

The man sneered. "Just as I thought, if Trowa Barton really had been here, the war wouldn't have ended the way it did." He continued to look Trowa over. "So, Nanshi, you were the one chosen to continue with operation meteor hu? Tell me something...where is the real Trowa Barton?"

"Your brother was shot Kimo. He died before the Gundam ever left the colony." Trowa replied calmly.

Duo and Wufei were watching the conversation take place with shock. Duo was the first one to regain his voice. "Look here you, I don't know who you are, but you better treat Trowa with a little more respect." He said with suppressed rage.

Kimo stamped his foot on the ground, much like a young child would when they aren't getting what they want, and there was little sanity in his eyes. "His name is not Trowa Barton! He is irrelevant to this world! He is Nanshi!" He turned angrily to Trowa. "I expected Trowa to be locked up somewhere, I was going to go free him...but now I find out that he's dead!?" He growled at Trowa and pulled out a gun. "And I blame you...Nanshi."

A shot was fired, but instead of Trowa, Kimo was the one who fell to the ground.

The three Gundam Pilots looked up to see Heero holding a smoking gun, aimed at the spot Kimo had stood. He lowered his arm and nodded at the other pilots.

The two men who had been with Kimo fled the hospital.

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't leave you just yet." Heero explained.

"Thanks Heero." Trowa said.

"Just repaying my debts."Heero answered, refusing to let anyone show him gratitude.

A rapid coughing sound caused them all to turn around.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Quatre's eyes fluttered open as he regained consciousness. He was alone in a dark room. Where was Trowa? he needed to thank him.

Carefully he removed the blankets from his body and stepped onto the cold floor, going off in search of his friend.

An elevator ride and three hallways later Quatre found the waiting room. Three men had just entered and were speaking to Trowa. 'There you are.' Quatre thought to himself, gripping the wall.

"So Nanshi, you were the one chosen to continue with Operation Meteor hu?"

'Nanshi!?' Quatre thought. 'no name!? how could anyone say such a thing?!'

Quatre continued to watch the confrontation in growing horror. He saw Heero quietly enter the hospital and aim a gun at Trowa's opponent's back...and fire.

Quatre's legs went weak. Wether it be from seeing someone killed before his eyes, or the fear he felt for Trowa, or just the fact that he shouldn't have been out of bed at all, he began to cough uncontrollably and sank to the floor.

"Quatre what are you doing out of bed?" Heero demanded, picking him up and cradling him in his arms. Quatre, still coughing, gave Heero an apologetic glance. Heero sighed and handed him to Trowa. "I need to go now. Maybe we'll meet up again sometime." He turned to Quatre. "Take care of yourself."

"I will." Quatre promised.

As Heero walked away Quatre felt his eyes wander over to Duo, who was quickly wiping his eyes. His heart went out to him.

Trowa began to walk down the hallway to the elevator, holding Quatre firmly so he wouldn't fall. Duo and Wufei followed, apparently wanting to make sure Quatre got into bed alright.

As they reached the large doors Wufei cleared his throat loudly, getting everyone's attention. "I'm also going to leave. Since Quatre is well I see know reason to stay, and as Heero stated maybe we'll meet again." He turned to Quatre. "You have a strong heart, follow it and you'll never go wrong." And he too, tuned and disappeared.

"Trowa?" Quatre asked meekly as the elevator door shut the two of them and Duo inside.

"Yes Quatre?" 

"You didn't take anything those guys said to heart did you?"

"Why do you ask?"

Quatre paused. Why *had* he asked?

The elevator door opened then and Trowa led the way to Quatre's room.

"Just know that you will always be Trowa to me, and I don't think the world would survive without you." Quatre said at last.

Trowa smiled a very rare smile of amusement as he lay Quatre on the bed and covered him up. "Go to sleep Quatre, I'll see you in the morning."

His eyes began to droop, Trowa looked so strong then...maybe...

"See you Quatre." Duo said waving as he left the room also.

"Are you leaving too?" Quatre asked sadly.

"Nawww. I've got nothing better to do, I'll stick around for a while." He replied leaning on the door frame and sticking one hand into his pocket. "Make sure you get back on your feet alright. You're the heir of Winner Industries after all."

Quatre smiled. "Thanks...and Duo?"

"Yeah?"

"You'll see Heero again. Don't worry."

Duo began to pout. "Why would I want to see him again?"

Quatre lowered his eyes. "Duuuoo. Come on, I know you like him.

Duo crossed his arms. "I do not like him." A smile began to form on his lips. "I'm down right crazy about him."

"Bye Duo."

"See you in the morning."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Staring at the computer screen in the dark hours of the morning a single figure types away, looking for specific information. 

Rage filled his heart and soul to the point he was sure he'd kill someone before dawn broke. It wasn't fair. Trowa was gone and his sister was gone, Kimo was now dead also. He was alone.

The man suddenly found what he had been searching for and grinned in anticipation. "You will pay for what you have done...Heero Yuy. I plan on watching you for a very long time..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  
  
  
  


A.C. 198 (After Endless Waltz)

  
  


Day One:

  
  


"Wufei, get up sleepy head." Sally commanded poking him in the ribs.

Wufei mumbled a groan and then realized where he was. "Leave me woman!" he cried, trying to roll away from her and ended up falling off the bed and landing on the floor. This cause Sally to burst into a fit of laughter.

"We really have to make it a top priority to get another bed in here." She said hopping out of the bed they shared onto the floor where Wufei was now sitting.

Wufei grumbled again, he wasn't a morning person.

An hour and two cups of coffee later they were prepared to work on the day's functions.

"We have suspicious activity in the L-4 colony." Sally stated looking at a thin sheaf of papers.

"Anything that should cause alarm?" Wufei asked.

"I don't think so, but we should still check it out." 

She strode over to a computer and typed in a few numbers. "Hummmm, this is odd."

Wufei didn't say anything, waiting for her to elaborate. It was a game that they played. Sally would try her hardest to get Wufei to speak, and he would try his hardest to say as few words as possible.

Sally started at him with interest, refusing to give in.

Finally curiosity got the best of him and he finally asked "What's odd?"

Sally grinned in satisfaction before replying. "There's an encoded message coming from the L-4 colony.""What's it say? Anything suspicious?" 

Sally shook her head in disbelief. "Our computer systems can't crack it, it's a very high tech code."

"That *is* odd." Wufei commented. "This is something we should check out."

"Anything you say Wufei-chan." Sally commented with a smirk. She took the controls and piloted their ship toward the colony.

"Women." Wufei mumbled.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

"Hilde! Can you get me the wrench from the house?" Duo called from under a large something-or-other. Hilde could only guess at what it was supposed to be.

"Sure thing Duo!" She called back, happy that she could help. It took a while to find the specific wench that her best friend wanted, their house was such a mess. Upon crossing it she grabbed it, along with a lemonade she took the time to pour and ran outside to give them both to Duo. "Here it is!"

She received no reply. 

"Duo?" She put down the objects and bent down to look under the something-or-other. He wasn't anywhere to be found.

Now Hilde was worried, it wasn't like him to just take off after asking her for something specific. 

Her voice rang out into the early morning. "Duuuuuuooooooo!!!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Duo lay under the antique mobile doll. He knew that they were illegal, but he wasn't fixing it to actually *work* for say, he was fixing it so that it would look like it *did* work. It was something that a museum on Earth asked him to do.

"Hilde! Can you get me the wrench from the house?" He asked, not bothering to climb out from under the machine that Hilde took delight in calling a 'something-or-other'.

"Sure thing Duo." She called and ran into the house.

Duo sighed. He didn't expect her to find it right away, the house was such a mess. Between the two of them they could never keep it clean.

Minutes later Duo felt a presence approach. "That was fast." He commented. "Hand me the wench." He stuck his hand out for Hilde to give him, but instead of feeling the cool metal on his finger tips he felt a strong hand jerked him out from under that machine, causing him to slam his head into the metal of the machine on the way out. This was defiantly *not* Hilde.

"Yeouch!!!" Duo yelled clutching his head. "What the hell was that all about!?" He finally looked at the person who had pulled him so violently from his work. A small man, no older than 30 with dark blonde hair stood before him. a little ways behind him were two tall muscular men looking mean.

The man smirked. "Duo Maxwell?" He asked.

"Yeah, what of it?" Duo asked, still rubbing his head, very ticked off.

The man nodded, "Just as I thought. I'm never wrong."

Suddenly, the two men that were beside him hit Duo in the head with a large metal pipe, making his consciousness waver. They took him roughly and placed a gag in his mouth and bound his hands, throwing him into the back of a car. They very discreetly climbed in and drove away.

Duo held onto consciousness for as long as he could. The last thing he heard was Hilde yelling his name.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Trowa stood behind the flap of the circus tent dressed in performance clothes, looking out at the audience. He smiled slightly.

"Wow, my little brother's smiling. What's up Trowa?" Catherine asked coming up behind him.

"Quatre's here." Trowa commented not taking his eyes off the audience. 

"Really?" Catherine said taking a look as well. "Where is he? I don't see him."

"I can't see him either, but I know he's here."

Catherine shot her brother a strange look. "You two must have a really strong bond to be able to sense each other's presence." She paused, looking slightly thoughtful. "You really care for him."

Trowa didn't say anything. I wasn't a question, it was a statement. Trowa didn't have the slightest clue about what to say to that anyway.

Catherine sighed in amusement. I'll tell the manager where you went after the show, don't worry about sticking around.

Trowa gave Catherine a rare smile. "Thanks Cathy."

"Don't mention it." Catherine said waving a hand and walking away.

Trowa continued to stare at the audience trying to locate his Quatre.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

"I can't believe that you knew I was here." Quatre complained after the show as he followed Trowa to his trailer.

"I always know when you're around Little One."

Quatre smiled at the nick name Trowa only used when they were alone. "I've really missed you."  
"And I you."

The small Arab sat on the bed as Trowa changed out of his clown outfit with an extremely mellenconly look on his face. It was a minute or so before Trowa noticed. "What wrong Quatre?"

Quatre looked up and sighed. "I don't know, it's just lately, I've been having really weird feelings."

"What kind of weird feelings?" Trowa asked stepping into a pair of pants.

"Just...like something's wrong, someone's going to be hurt." Tears sprang into his eyes. "And it hurts me too, because I'm so scared. I came here all of the sudden to make sure you were all right."

Trowa, still shirtless wrapped the boy in a hug. "Shhhh, it's going to be okay Little One." He said as he rocked Quatre back and forth. "I'm here and everything's going to be fine."

"I hope you're right." Quatre sniffled.

There was a knock on the door and Trowa got up to answer it, the caller was Catherine.

"Hey Trowa...I just wanted to tell you that I got you the next three days off. The manager said you needed to take a vacation..." Her eyes wandered to Quatre who was sitting on the bed, with very messy hair and clothes (From crying and Trowa hugging him, but Catherine didn't know that) and Trowa's shirtless form. "Good god! I sure hope that you two aren't doing anything you shouldn't be doing!"

"Cathy!" Trowa exclaimed, turning an interesting shade of red.

Quatre giggled in the background, surprise that anything could make Trowa blush.

Upon realizing that she had just received the wrong impression she laughed. "Have fun you two. Nice seeing you again Quatre." She said before leaving.

Trowa was still staring at the door, trying to get the color of his cheeks back to normal.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Duo opened his eyes to find himself locked up in a cell. "Why is it that I'm always the one to be captured?" He grumbled, trying to move. The bound and gag had been removed, but he still hurt all over.

A TV screen flicked on overhead to reveal the same man that had captured Duo earlier that day. He still had that same sneering look. It was familiar somehow, but Duo could quite place it.

"What do you want with me?!" Duo demanded, not sure if the man could hear him or not.

The man laughed. "With you my dear Duo? Funny you should ask that question. All in all, it's funny that I needed you in my plan at all, but that's just the way the world works I suppose."

Duo glared at the screen, he wasn't going to give this man anything.

"I want you to perform a little job for me."

Duo couldn't help but laugh at that. "You think that I'm going to do anything for you? After you dragged me here? I think not."

"I want you to kidnap Treize Khushrenada's daughter, Mariemaia and bring her to me." The man continued as if Duo hadn't spoke a word.

"You're off you're rocker!" Duo yelled, horrified at the idea that someone would want to harm a little girl who had already been through so much. "She's just a kid, and even if she wasn't I'd never kidnap her, or anyone!" He turned around so he wouldn't have to face the man. "You can keep me here as long as you like, eventually someone will find me. I can hold out until then."

The man laughed, a very evil laugh. "I think that you overestimate Heero Yuy. He isn't going to find you here."

Duo's arms dropped, full of surprise that this guy knew anything about him and Heero, not that there was anything to tell.

"Hn. Surprised that I know about you and Heero hu? Well...I've had it in for Heero for a long long time."

"There isn't anything going on between Heero and I, so there isn't any manipulating power there." He paused. "Why do you have it in for Heero so bad?"

"I know more about you and Heero than even you do. You'd be very, very surprised...and as to why I have it in for Heero so bad...let's just say that he destroyed something very dear to me, so now I want revenge. Play this game by the rules and nothing will happen to him."

"And what does Mariemaia have to do with this?" 

The man sneered again. That was driving Duo crazy. He knew that look from somewhere! 

"It isn't part of the rules that you should know, but I suppose that giving you this information won't hurt anything. Mariemaia is my niece, the last of my family. She belongs with me, and you shall bring her here."

"You wanna bet!?" Duo yelled, facing him once again. Suddenly it all made scence. The look that Duo had been trying to place belonged to Kimo, the guy who tried to kill Trowa years before. The looks seemed so familiar because the two men were related. he wanted to hurt Heero because Heero had killed his brother. 

"I'll bet you that you will play by the rules. This is my game. There are consequences for breaking the rules...and at this stage of the game, and the consequence for you...is the death of Heero Yuy."

Duo opened his eyes in shock, this man was insane. Duo knew there was nothing stopping him from killing Heero if he didn't do as he was told.

Duo hung his head is shame. He knew what he was going to do, even though it went against everything his instincts told him to. "Alright...I'll do it."

"I though you'd see things my way."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  
  


Day Two:

  
  


"Mariemaia! Hold still!" Lady Une commanded, holding a brush to the young girl's head. The girl froze instantly.

"Hum, that's better. I'm almost done." Lady Une stated brushing the snarls out of her hair. "When I'm done you can move around all you want."

"Lady Une, when the circus comes to our colony, can we go see it?" Mariemaia asked, just as innocently as any child would. It made Lady Une smile, the girl had been through so much, yet she was strong enough to return to the life of a normal girl. "I take it that you're referring to the circus Trowa is in?"

The young girl only smiled in response. She saw the Gundams as her heros, and liked to see them as often as she could. Unfortunately that wasn't very often, considering the fact that they were spread out all over the galaxy. Trowa was the one Gundam pilot that she saw on a normal basis, considering that the circus he was in visited the colony every year. Mariemaia always made sure she went to see it.

"You know that we always go see Trowa." Lady Une put the brush down announcing that she had finished the girls hair. 

Mariemaia jumped up and promptly ran around the room.

Lady Une smiled and the happy girl, then shivered, there was a draft in the large bedroom.

"Lady Une?" A strong male voice asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She screamed causing Mariemaia to stop her activity of making as much noise as possible. Lady spun to face the stranger.

"Oh Duo." She said in relief. "What a surprise, we were just talking about you and the other Gundam Pilots." She glanced over to the open window. 'So that's where the draft was coming from.' "But you could have used the door."

"I'm sorry." Duo stated. He had a strange look on his face, one that was never seen on the bubbly pilot. It was grim...like something was really wrong.

"Don't worry about it, I know how you guys are...always needing to do things differently." but she wasn't smiling. Duo's presence was making her uncomfortable. And it must have been doing the same for Mariemaia, instead of glomping the pilot before her, like she usually did, she was staying as far away as possible.

"That's not what I'm sorry for." Duo replied. Keeping the same face, he walked over to Mariemaia and picked her up, and carried her over to Lady Une. He then promptly hit Lady in the head and knocked her out. "That's what I'm sorry for." 

She staggered, confused at what was happening. Before the world went black she saw Duo put a gag on Mariemaia and carry her out the window.

"Duo..." Lady Une moaned. "Why...?" She then passed out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Duo handled the girl as gently as he could. He didn't want to hurt her in anyway. Hell, he didn't even want to take her away from her home.

"But what else am I supposed to do?" He asked himself. "That guy will kill Heero, there's no question about that."

Mariemaia began to stir. Duo hoped that he could reach the truck before she woke up. The drugs in the gag lasted a little longer usually. 

Duo sighed in relief as the truck came into view. 'Almost there, then this will all be over.' Duo's impractical side said, trying to reassure himself.

Duo laughed bitterly. 'Yeah, but what is he going to do with a little girl? And what do you think he's going to do with you...let you go? Even if he does, Lady Une saw you. Who's the first person she's going to go to? Relena of course. She in turn will find the rest of the former Gundam pilots and they'll all be looking for you. Telling them the truth will work, very convincing story, but it still doesn't take away from the fact that you're kidnaping an innocent girl. Protecting Heero? Yeah great excuse...Shinigami trying to save the perfect soldier." 

Carefully opening the back of the truck he placed Mariemaia inside and wrapped her in a blanket. It was cold outside.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as his lips gently touched the girl's head. He preformed a ritual that he only took the time to do in utter desperation, something he didn't really believe helped. He prayed.

Getting into the front of the truck he turned the keys to the ignition and drove down a long lonely road. It was a good hours drive before they would arrive. All to soon Mariemaia woke up.

"Hummm, Duo? Duo where are you taking me!" She demanded through the small hole between the back and the front. Her part had no windows and was completely dark.

"I'm sorry Mariemaia." Duo whispered. "Just do as you're told and you'll be safe.

"Duo?" Mariemaia whimpered in tears. "Please let me out, I don't like the dark."

Duo hoped to god that they wouldn't crash because he could hardly see the road through his tears.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was hours before Lady Une finally woke. Her head was spinning and she felt slightly nauseous...why...? Something about Duo...and Mariemaia? 

Lady Une sat up trying to regain what had happened. 

"Duo!" She cried suddenly as it all came crashing back. "Mariemaia! Bring her back!" She ran over to the still opened window but they were long gone...but where, and why?

Rage filled Lady Une's heart. She loved that little girl as her own, she loved her just as mush as she had Treize. And now she had been taken as well. 

She didn't care why anymore. She just wanted her little girl back. And the quickest way to do that was through Relena Dorlin. Normally Lady Une resisted the temptation of using her "friends in high places" to get what she wanted, but this was an emergency. 

Leaving all rationalization behind she ran for her car.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Relena sighed as she looked at the papers that littered her desk, there was a lot of work involved in doing what she did.

She needed to speak to Quatre Winner to get an okay to sign some papers, but he had mysteriously disappeared. She had begun to work a lot with Quatre in the past year.

"Where could he be?" She questioned of no one. "I can't move on until I get the okay for the funding that he promised."

Suddenly there was a burst of commotion from outside her office, and Lady Une stormed through, despite the protests of several of her secretaries. She didn't look happy at all.

"Why hello Lady Une, what a surprise. Can I offer you some tea?"

But Lady Une was in no mood for formalities. She shot straight to the point. "Mariemaia was kidnaped this morning."

"Kidnaped! By who? Why?" Relena asked in shock.

"I have no idea...but her assailant was Duo Maxwell." Lady Une stated grimly.

"Duo Maxwell?! As in former Gundam Pilot 02?" 

Lady Une nodded. 

Relena sighed and placed her hands in her head. "This calls for immediate attention. We'll start by contacting all the Gundam Pilots." She called up a phone, then placed a hand on Lady Une's shoulder. "It's okay." She whispered. "We'll find her...I promise."

Lady Une took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right."

A face appeared on the screen of the phone. "Hello? oh! Miss Darlin! Can I help you?" A very flustered young girl asked, surprised that someone so important would be calling.

"I'm looking for Trowa Barton." Relena said in her formal, business-like fashion.

The girl paused. "I think my brother is in his trailer, I'll transfer you, hold on a moment please. She pressed a button and the screen went blank again. Relena turned to Lady Une.

"Quatre is usually the easiest to track down because of his business place, but I haven't been able to locate him since yesterday. So I figured we'd try Trowa first." Relena knew this was irrelevant, but she was trying to keep her friend calm. The screen flashed on again.

"Hello?" Trowa asked. 

Relena blushed deeply. Trowa wasn't wearing a shirt. The worst part is that she could also see Quatre in the background, also not wearing a shirt, he was sitting on a messy bed pulling on a pair of socks. "Oh...Quatre...so that's where you went..."

"Relena, is there anything you need?" Trowa asked. He realized her discomfort and quickly pulled on a shirt and hid Quatre from view.

"Yes there is actually. Mariemaia was kidnaped this morning."

"Mariemaia?" Trowa asked shocked. He had developed a certain fondness for the girl.

"Yes..." Relena answered, lowering her eyes. "Duo took her after knocking Lady Une out with his fist."

"Duo!" came Quatre's muffled cry.

Trowa nodded, ignoring Quare. "I take it that you want us to help you find her."

Relena nodded. "Yes."

"We can be at Duo's place in two hours." it would be best if we started there.

Relena nodded. "Thank you both. And...erm...sorry for...interrupting you."

Trowa grinned, making Relena's heart stop. "Interrupt what? If you were interrupting anything I wouldn't have turned on the phone...Trowa and Quatre, over and out." The screen went blank again.

Relena shook her head. "Those guys are something else."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Wufei, we have an incoming call." Sally stated as they came into view of the colony.

"Predator here." Wufei said. 

"Hello Predator this is Relena." Relena said speaking seriously into the phone. "We have an emergency that requires the knowledge of the Gundam Pilots."

"This is Wufei, what's up?" 

"Mariemaia Khushrenada was kidnaped late this morning...by Duo Maxwell."

"No way!" Wufei said getting angry. "Duo would never kidnap a child, there has to be a mistake of some kind!"

Lady Une appeared on the screen, shaking her head. "No mistake. I saw him and talked to him myself just before he knocked me out and took her.

Wufei instinctively looked over to Sally who was looking troubled. "What do you want us to do?" he finally asked.

Relena sighed. "You know I'm really not sure yet. I figured that you guys knew him best so you might be able to figure out what is going on. Trowa and Quatre are heading to his house now. Maybe if you and Sally could head over here...?"

"You're in luck miss Dorlin. We're in that vicinity, we'll see you in an hour in a half." Sally said still sitting at the controls.

Relena nodded. "Until then."

"Predator over and out." Wufei shut off the phone, not able to over look the soft crying in the background.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Duo! Are you in there?!" Trowa demanded pounding on the door.

The door swung open and there stood Hilde. Her eyes were wide and puffy, like she'd been crying. "What do you want?" she snapped.

Quatre stepped between the two of them before a fight could break out. He knew that Trowa was close to Mariemaia, and Hilde was close to Duo, so there was potential danger for a fight. "Please, we're looking for Duo, have you seen him?"

"Not since yesterday morning." Hilde stated looking away. "He disappeared."

Quatre's eyes narrowed. "Disappeared? How so?"

Hilde shrugged her shoulders. "One minute he was out here, fixing that thing." She pointed to an old mobile suit. "Asking me to get him a wrench. I went in, got it, came back and he was gone."

She had said all this like it was no big deal, but then she broke down in tears. "A-at first I thought that he had to just run out somewhere, b-but then he-e-e didn't come back. I don't know what happened to him!"

Quatre's heart went out to the girl and he wrapped her in a hug, but all Trowa gave was a "Hn."

"Trowa!" Quatre exclaimed, obviously embarrassed at his partner's actions.

"How do we know you're not lying?" Trowa asked, ignoring Quatre and glaring at Hilde. "Is he inside, hiding out with Mariemaia? Are you covering up for him?"

Quatre was about to shush him, but Hilde beat him to it. "Why the hell would I lie about something like this?!"

"I dunno, kidnaping is a serious offense." Trowa snapped back.

"KIDNAPING!?!?!?" Hilde screeched. "Why I otta...!" She took a step towards Trowa swinging her little fists.

"She's telling the truth Trowa." a calm voice said from behind them all that caused everyone to fall silent.

"Heero?" Quatre asked at last, shocked that the former pilot had just shown up out of nowhere. "How do you know about this?"

"I know because I'm a step ahead of all of you. I have the one advantage that you don't. I was there."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Duo walked into the large room holding a shivering Mariemaia. He looked around for a non-existing TV screen.

'Okay, so now what am I supposed to do?' He thought to himself.

"Ah, my dear Duo," a chilling voice said. "So you have done what I asked after all, very good."

Duo spun around and for the first time met his assailant face to face. He glared at him. "Who the hell are you anyway?"

"My, my, such language my dear. Now we can't have that around the small child can we?" He reached his arms toward Duo and took Mariemaia from him.

"W-w-who are you?" Mariemaia asked, trying to sound in control, but it was obvious that she was very scared.

"I am Timish! The remainder of your living family! Duo has taken you from that awful home to come and live with me! Aren't you happy?"

Mariemaia shifted her gaze to Duo. "Duo? Why did you take me away? I was happy their, you knew that."

Timish laughed "Nonsense! You'll be that much happier with me, now come, I'll show you to your room."

"Hold it." Duo snapped. "You've got the girl, now what do you plan on doing with Heero?"

"Mariemaia is not part of the game." He said simply. "You are, The rest of the pilots may or may not play a part. As will...well, you'll see, but Heero Yuy...he is the cause for my little game. Mariemaia is my own personal gain. When this is all over, she will be my comfort." He put down the girl and she scampered off, trying to find an exit that did not exist. 

Timish smiled evilly. "I've watched Heero, watch you for the past two years. Physical torture on his part would be useless...so I've figured other ways of hurting him."

At the look of shock and horror on Duo's face he continued. "There will be chances for him and you of course. It's all part of the game." He smiled evilly. "But before we get started...I'm feeling very...restless...and lonely...Come join me in my bed this night. You *will* enjoy it. There is no question about that." 

Three men ran up and grabbed Duo by the arms as he fought. 'This isn't happening. This is all an awful dream. I'm home and tomorrow I'll wake up, and finish that mobile suit, and have lunch with Hilde...and daydream about Heero.' But Duo knew that he was in denial. There was nothing that was going to stop Timish...at least not now. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  
  


Day Three:

  
  


"Heero, what's this all about?" Lady Une demanded. "Where is Mariemaia?"

Relena and Lady Une had been joined in her office later yesterday afternoon by Wufei and Sally. Quatre and Trowa had called around midnight to report that they hadn't found Duo, but they had located Heero, who seemed to know something, but he refused to talk until they were all together.

"Hn." Heero responded. "I don't know where Mariemaia is." 

Relena walked up to Heero and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What do you know Heero?"

Heero glanced at Relena, wondering why the heck she was touching him. "I know that Duo *was* taken by force. I don't know who took him, and I wasn't able to stop them." He took a deep breath. "I do know Duo though, he would not have taken a little girl from her home by his own choosing."

"Then what do you suggest happened?" Lady Une asked, still terribly upset over the whole ordeal.

"I think that..." Heero started, but was interrupted by the phone. Relena gave them a I'll-be-back sign and walked out, only to scream to Heero moments later.

"What is it?" Heero asked when he was by the phone.

A face sneered back at him. "Hello Heero Yuy. My, it's so nice to be able to talk to you to your face. After watching and observing you for so very long."

Every single alarm that Heero's instincts had to offer was going off. This man was bad news. "What do you want?"

"I want to know if you want to come to play a game I've designed Heero Yuy." The man asked, still smirking.

"Hu?" Heero was indeed confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to play a game right now."

"Then I think you should make time!" The man yelled, changing moods like insane people often do. He was suddenly calm again. "I have a prize for you that you will be most interested in...if...you win."

The phone changed positions so that the screen was focused on a bed, a very messy bed at that. There was a young man bound to the bed, full of cuts and bruises and in obvious pain. The sheets just barely covered him so he wasn't showing anything a woman shouldn't see.

"Duo!" Heero cried causing everyone in the room to turn their heads and wonder what was going on.

He unknowingly growled. "What are you doing with him? Let him go, he isn't some kind of animal!"

Duo stirred at tried to smile at Heero. "Hey." he said weakly. "Nice to see that you're alright."

Heero was confused again. "Me alright? What about you? What did he do to you?"

"Mariemaia is fine to..." Duo continued "He won't hurt her. And he won't hurt you either if you stay away...he's planning some kind of a..."

The transmission was cut and Duo disappeared, only to be replaced by the man again. "My name is Timish Barton. The brother of Trowa and Kimo Barton." He laughed at the look of shock on Heero's face. "Yes, you remember him don't you? Killed him, didn't you...well...now it's your turn to suffer. Meet me tonight at eight o'clock. You will have a chance to play my game, and save your friend. Don't be late."

"Where am I supposed to meet you?" Heero asked stodicly.

Timish rattled off some coordinates and such before asking if there was anything else he needed.

"Don't you dare touch Duo." Heero growled. 

Timish laughed. "I don't plan to, I've already had my fun with him. I know that you'll like to know that he is really, very good in bed."

"Why you..." Heero began to scream but the transmission had been cut. He resorted to growling, then turned to the crowd that faced him in shock.

"Looks like we're in for another long trip." Heero said. "Relena please prepare a ship and have it ready as soon as you can. We're going to find Duo." He turned to Lady Une. "And where we find Duo, We'll find Timish...and that's where Mariemaia will be."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Mariemaia found herself in a large room with a bed, and toys that any young girl would love to play with, but she still wasn't happy. She was scared and alone and confused. Why had Duo taken her away from her home and then apologized?

Had that man...Timish, who had claimed to be her family, had he made him?

She had heard of the thing called blackmail, had that been used on Duo? If so was he going to be alright? She sighed and decided to try something drastic. She ran over to the door and pulled...it flew open.

"He's not trying to keep me here?" She questioned of herself. She pondered this as she slipped out of the room. 'Of course not! He doesn't expect me to want to leave! One, he's insane and two, he doesn't realize that I'm smarter than most children my age.'

Hearing light screams she turned down the dark corridor. 'Where are they coming from?' She felt along the wall, was there a latch? Suddenly she found something...and pulled.

Creeping ever so carefully, as a well trained child would, she made her way into the room. There was a huge bed, and a man...almost not recognizable to her, lay there.

"Duo?" She whispered.

His eyes shot open. "Mariemaia?" He whispered back. "What are you doing here. Get back to where you're supposed to be. This guy is nuts, there's no telling what he'll do to you."

"What happened to you?" She insisted, no longer angry that he had taken her. It was obvious that he had been punished enough.

"Nothing Shinigami can't handle, now get out of here!"

Voices could be heard outside the door. "I want him taken to the center of the garden. Tie him to the first shock pole, the second is for the Winner boy if needed.

"Yes sir." A voice replied.

"Hide!" Duo hissed.

Mariemaia was in a panic. "I'll bring help I promise!" 

"Go!" Duo said again as she jumped under the bed.

She hid as best she could, scrunching up into a little ball. She heard Duo being untied and dragged out the door. At one point he was hit and cried out in pain. All to soon the room was silent again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Are you sure this is the right place Heero?" Quatre asked curiously. "It seems way to high class for a kidnaping and torture type of thing."

"Looks can be deceiving." Was all Heero said in return. "Come on, we have to get to the far gardens, almost a half mile from the front gates."

It was a bit of a long walk, nothing that the Gundam Pilots and Sally couldn't handle. But Lady Une was to over come with grief to walk very fast and Relena did a lot of complaining. Finally they reached what they guessed was the opening to the gardens. Above their heads was about eight TV's all of witch were blank. But not for long.

"My my, so good of you to come." A voice said from high above the group. All their heads shot up. A face had appeared on all the screens. Heero recognized him, it was the same man who had been on the coma-phone earlier that day, Timish.  
"Where's Mariemaia!?" Lady Une screamed. She was beginning to sound like a broken record.

"Mariemaia is not part of this game. No matter the outcome she will remain with me."

"You're a very sick, disturbed man." Relena said shaking her head.

"Shut up Relena." Timish said, exasperated. Turning to the opening in the hedge he spoke to Heero. "Your precious Duo is at the center of this maze. A Labyrinth I suppose…much a great idea on my part. Inside I will have complete surveillance on what you're doing. You shall follow and do as you are told throughout each step. For every rule you break…there is a consequence. For all of you in fact, you all play a part in my game."

"And if I refuse to enter?" Heero asked.

The screen shifted to see Duo, tied by his hands to a large pole, his feet were bound. And he wore very little clothing. Suddenly he screamed out in pain, an electrical jolt had been sent through his body. The group was left to witness him cry. 

The screen shifted again and Timish was looking rather pleased with himself. "That, will happen…over and over until he dies."

Heero let out the breath he had been holding. "Alright, fine. I'll play your little game. What do I have to do?"

"Enter the maze Heero, make your way to the center where Duo is, and bring him back out. Do that and I'll let you go…and…put down your gun. You're not allowed any weapons of defense. It isn't good to shoot someone in the back."

Heero was furious, but there was nothing he could do. He threw his gun to the ground and without looking back he ran into the maze, not knowing what he would face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Timish laughed to himself as he watched Heero Yuy enter his brilliant maze, His game that he had worked on for years. He has waited so long for this…yes…Heero Yuy would be getting what he deserved. 

He laughed again. There was no way that he would make his way to Duo alive, much less get back out.

"You are an awful man!" Mariemaia yelled, not for the first time. Timish decided to ignore her. She would be used to her new surroundings soon enough.

He turned his attention to the screens in front of him. He could see the group anxiously watching Heero work his way through the maze by the screens he had provided. They, the same as him, could also see Duo, tied and bound like an animal. It was beautiful. And He could see Heero, looking determined and confident. 'Well, that expression will be gone soon enough.' There were screens set up all around the maze, so the person inside could see the center. He felt that it would be cause for concern, making the person distracted.

Suddenly he felt like distracting Heero a little more. He put himself on the screen once again. "You know Heero Yuy, you really must ask yourself, Is all this worth your time."

Heero growled. "Of course it's worth my time." He was looking around quickly, not letting his eyes linger anywhere for a second. "Anything for Maxwell is worth my time."

"I thought so. Anything for the one you love."

This caused Heero to stop in shock. He glared at the screen. In that time a shot rang out and Heero winced in pain.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Anything for the one you love." Timish said.

Heero stopped in shock. 'How did this guy know how I felt about Duo? It's not like I said anything. And for that matter, how did he know that Duo was the only one I would go after like this?'

Suddenly a shot rang out, and Heero felt a pain in his shoulder. He had been shot. Whirling around he saw an armed machine. There was no way he was going to beat it. Heero knew that. He was unarmed, and now, because of his own carelessness he was injured. He turned to run.

"Ahhhhhh!" Duo cried out, shifting in the electrical jolt that was shot through him. Everyone observed this on the screen.

"Not quite Heero." Timish said. "You can't run away. There is no 'running away' It's part of the rules."

"Damn rules." Heero mumbled, turning back to face the machine, it was the only thing he could do. How was he supposed to beat this thing? 

Suddenly something caught his eye. It was a wire of some kind.

Heero looked at the tall machine and calculated it's balance and mobility. Moving quickly he grabbed the wire and held it so the monster would get caught and fall. 

A loud crash could be heard from all areas of the garden as the machine hit the ground. It was still moving, but wasn't traveling anywhere. 

Heero jumped over, and onto the back of the machine and opened a panel he found there. He took a fistful of wires and pulled. It stopped moving instantly. Heero allowed himself to breath in relief.

"Hn. Very good Heero." Timish said, coming onto the screen again. "It only took you three minutes to defeat one of the hundred of dolls in this very large game." 

Heero was enraged. This man was mocking him. "I will defeat you. And I will get my Duo back. That's a promise."

"It isn't good to lie Heero."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Trowa, Quatre and the others watched Heero destroy three mobil dolls in the time frame of ten minutes. He wasn't getting anywhere fast. 

"I have to help him." Trowa said suddenly. "It's my fault he's in this mess."

Everyone looked at him in shock. "Do you really think you can do anything?"

Trowa nodded. "Heero's injured and getting tired quickly. You heard Timish, there are hundreds of dolls in that place. And the maze has got to cover a radius of at least five miles. And with all those stupid rules no one knows about...Duo isn't going to be able to take many more of those shocks."

"Trowa…" Quatre began, like he wanted to protest to his friend entering that hell. But the look passed and he smiled fondly and nodded. "Good luck Trowa."

"I'll be back Little One." He said stroking the blond's hair. He picked up the gun Heero had been forced to abandon and pocketed it. Trowa too, entered the maze.

Quatre whimpered slightly, fearful of what was going to happen.

Lady Une put an arm around him. "He'll fine. You'll see, soon we'll all be home." She looked determined. "*All* of us." 

"You're right." Quatre said and continued to watch the many screens. Lady Une did the same. Heero looked so determined, but like Trowa had stated, he was injured and looked tired. Duo wasn't getting any better either.

"Hey! Where's Quatre?" Wufei said a few minutes later.

Suddenly all the screens were lit up with the face of Timish. He was smiling evilly. "Well Nanshi…I suppose you've decided to join my game. Very well, but there will be concicwences."

Suddenly the screens split again. They could see Heero, looking confused, Trowa looking worried…and Duo, but he wasn't alone anymore. Quatre was also tied to a pole, one that the others had failed to notice before.

"Quatre!" They heard Trowa yell. "No! Don't hurt him! Quatre I'm coming!" Trowa, in a state of shock began to climb up over the wall of the maze. Quatre's scream could be heard, louder that Duo's, since he was that much stronger.

"What did I say about following the rules!?" Timish yelled enraged. Follow the rules and I won't have to hurt them!"

"Trowa…" Quatre said weakly. "Trowa don't worry about me. Get through here anyway you can…I'll be fine."

"Quatre…"

Wufei turned away from the screens, it was almost to much to bear now. Four of their friends were trapped in there. And no one had a clue to where Mariemaia was. He turned to Sally.

"We've got to cut power in that maze. Do that and Timish won't be able to do anything.

Sally nodded. "But where's the source?" 

Wufei looked around the large yard. "There!" He said finally, pointing.

"Hurry up." Relena stated. "Lady Une and I will stay here and try and distract him."

Wufei and Sally took off through the darkness.

"Damn, it's locked." Sally said, struggling with the lock of the building.

"Well, what did you expect? For it to be open so we could just waltz in? Hn, women." Wufei motioned for Sally to step back. 

In one fluid motion, and a loud yell he hit the lock and it fell off the door.

"Geeze, ever think to try a crow bar?" Sally asked, still slightly annoyed for the comment earlier.

"And where did you expect to find a crow bar?" Wufei asked.

"Right here." Sally replied, picking one up off the ground. She allowed herself a smile of victory.

"Hn. Come on, I don't know how long the other's are going to last in there."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heero looked up at the screens closest to him. There seemed to be a sound system throughout the entire maze, and every quarter of a mile or so there was a set of tv screens. He saw both Quatre and Duo tied to the electrical posts. Quatre had his ususal clothes on, but Duo had on hardly any. He also saw Trowa fighting off a machine, much like all the ones he had run into before. This was a sick game this man was playing.

"Don't worry Duo." He whispered. "I'm coming."

"Excuse me, but are you lost?" A small voice said from behind him.

"Hu?!" Heero responded. No...It couldn't be, not...

"I said 'are you lost?'." 

Heero's eyes opened up in shock. This was her! It looked just like the little girl he had killed...so long ago, the one that Relena looked like. He had killed her...hadn't he?

The girl giggled. "You're feeling guilty...aren't you?"

"Wha...how did you get here?" Heero stammered. "I thought you were dead"

"Oh , I am dead. I died a very painful death that night. All thanks to you."

Heero's shoulders shook, his chest hurt like he had just been shot...this couldn't be happening. "I'm sorry, it was an accident."

The girl was still smiling, like she was mocking him. "I know that...but what do you think my parents thought when they got home from their party?"

Heero dropped to the ground, hands covering his head and ears... "You're not real, you can't be!"

"What do you mean I'm not real...I'm right here...Look at me Heero."

"NO! Stop this isn't happening! I left this behind me a long time ago!"

"Did you now?" The girl continued. "Can you really just let go of the people you killed. Do you think that their families ever really do forgive you? Even though they say they do? Come now Heero..."

It was then that Heero began to scream. Trying to make it all go away. The guilt, it still hurt so much, Why couldn't he let go, why wouldn't it end? He thought that if he help Relena, protected her, took care of her...He thought it would stop.

Suddenly everything went dark. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"How are you doing Duo?" Quatre gasped, still getting over th electrical shock.

"I'mmmmm...fiiine." Duo said, hardly hanging onto consciousness. "Why's it so dark?"

"Hang on Duo." Quatre said, startled. "Heero and Trowa will be here any minute. Don't die on us, you can't."

"I am Shinigami!" Duo suddenly yelled. "Heero will not dare leave me again!"

"Duo what are you talking about?" Quatre asked. Then it hit him. Duo didn't know what he was talking about, his brain wasn't working right because of the electrical shocks and whatever other torture he had received.

"Quatre...ya know what?" Duo said, giggling slightly. "I think you're cute. I think that's why Tro likes ya so much."

Quatre's cheeks turned slightly red. This was insane! They had every possibility that they were going to die, and all Duo wanted to do was talk about their love lives!

"I loved Heero once." Duo continued. "But he didn't love me, He left. Remember that? You were in the hospital."

"I remember." Quatre stated, trying his best to keep Duo talking.

"Time to sleep now." Duo said closing his eyes.

"Duo no! Don't sleep, you have to stay awake!" Quatre cried.

"Why?" Duo mumbled,

"Because you might have a concussion, you need medical help. God Duo, stay with me."

"Tro's lucky." Duo said quietly, trying to obey Quatre's orders.

"How so?" 

"He's got someone great like you."

"Duo," Quatre said taking a deep breath. "Heero really cares for you too. He may not show it all the time but right now he's in here, trying to save you. For him, hold on."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"We need an access code." Wufei said tapping at the small computer. "Get that and we're in total control of this entire place.

"Push over." Sally commanded, taking control of the keys. She typed at an amazing speed for a number of minutes before announcing that they had access.

"Wufei opened his eyes in shock. "How did you do that so fast?"

Sally laughed. "Sometimes being a girl can be a good thing. Now work your magic."

Wufei re-took the computer and began to explore the complex system. "I don't care how smart this guy is, it must have taken him years to develop this!"

"Are you going to be able to control it?"

"Oh course, you got us the code, now we have everything we need." He turned to Sally. "Sometimes you amaze me." He pushed a few more keys. "Cameras off...now! Shock poles disengaged. Now..." He said cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what else we can do..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What's wrong with Heero?!" Relena screamed as he sunk to the ground. "Why is he hurting...and who is he talking to?"

Lady Une began to growl. "I know what it is. Timish is screwing with Heero's mind. He's arguing with something from his past. That's what's distracting him.

"Oh Heero, come on snap out of it!" Relena cried, even though she knew that he couldn't hear her. 

Before anyone could say another word all the monitors were turned off, and everything went dark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Timish sat in his comfortable chair watching the action that was going on in front of him. He watched as Heero began arguing with a shapeless being. He watched as Heero almost began to cry.

"Ha ha ha. Nothing beats this!" He cried in sheer delight. "Finally Heero Yuy will get what he deserves!"

"You aren't going to beat him you know." Mariemaia said, still sitting beside him. "He's a Gundam Pilot, nothing can beat him."

"You're very confident about him, aren't you Mariemaia?"

"Yes I am, he's saved me once, he'll save me again." Mariemaia answered with complete confidence.

"Oh you think so hu? Well what about Duo? He's the one who kidnaped you after all. It's his fault that you aren't in your bed where you once called home."

Mairemaia laughed. "I'm a lot smarter than most children my age you know. I know what you did to him. More than you think I do."

Timish huffed and turned back to the screens. Heero was trying to crawl away from his hallucination. "Oh no you don't!" He cried. Pushing the button to send shock waves to Duo. He heard Duo cry out in pain and then laughed again. 

Suddenly, everything went black.

"No!" Timish cried as he frantically began to try and fix the problem. "No! Curse those damn Gundam Pilots! Curse Heero Yuy!" He turned to Mariemaia. "Looks like your friends may succeed after all...but I'm not done yet!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Trowa ran about the maze, running into dead end after dead end. This wasn't getting him anywhere. He had wanted to help Heero, but by the looks of it the only thing he succeeded in doing was getting Quatre into trouble.

"I'm coming Little One." He said. "Please hold on, and help Duo, he isn't going to make it without someone."

It was very sudden that the lights disappeared. It was difficult to see in the darkness. 'Can the camera's be out as well?' The question was soon answered when he came to a stack of monitors. They were all blank. He smiled to himself. No dough the work of Wufei and Sally.

"QUATRE!" He yelled, hoping the small blond could hear him. A faint yell was over to his right. Know that he was breaking 'the rules', but also knowing that there was nothing Timish could do about it, he began to climb over the walls.

"Ouch! Watch it!" someone cried as he landed on the ground, it was Heero.

"Sorry Heero, the cameras are out so we're pretty much home free."

All Heero did was nod. He looked very shaken up. "They're over here. Come on." Heero led the way through the dark as quickly as he possibly could until they reached the very center.

"Trowa!" Came Quatre's joyous cry. 

Trowa ran over the him and pulled the straps away from his friend with his bare hands. "I was so afraid...I didn't know I was putting you in any danger..."

"Duo needs help." Quatre stated, looking frightened, but Heero was already seeing to that.

"Owww..." Duo said still slurring. "My legs hurt...careful..."

Heero's eyes narrowed with expression. "Duo what did he do to you?"

"Nothing I didn't deserve." He said quietly.

"Like hell you deserved this!" He cried, scaring everyone around him, Heero in a rage was a frightening thing. "Duo did he touch you?! Did he take you into his bed!? He said he..."

"He didn't do anything I didn't deserve." Duo stated again.

"Why do you think you deserve this?" Heero whispered, still holding Duo in his arms.

"'Cause I hurt a child, damn it! I took an innocent girl from her home!"

Heero shook his head in frustration. "Duo you were tricked! I'll bet my entire life that he tricked you into taking her!"

Duo didn't answer. He had fallen asleep. Heero's eyes flashed with rage and pure hatred. "I will kill him. For what he has done to you love, he shall die."

He turned to Trowa and Quatre. "Are you alright to get him out of here? I have something I need to take care of."

Quatre nodded and Heero handed the sleeping Duo to Trowa, silently running towards the house.

Trowa stared at Heero's retreating form. "I need to help him. Are you strong enough to take Duo?"

Quatre nodded with utter confidence. "I wasn't shocked too many times, I'm fine. He took Duo and watched as Trowa headed in the direction Heero had. "Be careful!"

"Don't worry Little One, I'll be back!"

Quatre sighed and turned to Duo as he began to speak.

"I love you too Heero."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hum..." Wufei continued. "Well, well, looks like Timish is frightened of dying. Looks like he's secured a lock for the room he's in way down here...let's open it and see what happens." Wufei pushed another button and leaned back in satisfaction. "There. It's up to everyone else now."

"Wufei, you're something else. No matter what happens you always manage to pull through." Sally commented, looking at him with affection. She suddenly realized what came out of her mouth and blushed. "What...I mean to say is..."

Wufei let out a laugh. "*We* always pull through you mean. It's both of us that makes this work, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Oh...Wufei..." Sally said, eyes sliding closed.

"I love you Sally Po." He whispered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heero ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the large house. His instincts told him that's where Timish would be hiding.

'That bastard will pay for what he did to Duo. He will pay.'

Before he could even think he had reached the mansion. Inside he found a door, a very large door. He knew that Timish was inside. He tried to open it, but found that it was locked. So instead he hit the door as hard as he could. "Open up you coward! You sick excuse for a human being!"

Evil laugher could be heard from inside. "You really think that I'm going to open this door? Not in this life time, and there is only one other way to unlock it other than in here."

Heero began to curse out loud, he pulled on the door again, this time it opened. Heero ran inside.

There was a look of surprise and a bit off horror on the monster's face, but he quickly covered it with his cockiness. "So nice of you to join us Heero Yuy. I suppose that you've met my niece, Mariemaia?"

Heero faced a girl who didn't look frightened. She looked back at him, urging him to take action. 

"You won't get away with this." Heero said. "I'm taking the girl...right after I kill you."

Timish smiled that evil smile that was beginning to get on everyone's nerves. "And how do you propose to do that Heero Yuy? With your gun?"

Heero reached into his pocket to pull out the gun that wasn't there. 'Damn it.' He thought.

"Ah yes." Timish stated, circling Heero to block his exit, his back was to the door. "You're emotions and love for that pilot clouded your sense and better judgement. And now...as you have killed so many others...it's your turn. Say goodbye Heero."

Timish pulled out a gun and aimed it a Heero's heart. There were now tears in Mariemaia's eyes. She knew that she was going to get away, there was to many Gundam Pilots around for that not to happen eventually, but Heero was going to die. She hadn't known Timish carried a common gun. 

Heero's eyes darted over to the door that now held a shadow, Trowa stood there, holding Heero's gun aimed at Timish's back. He pulled the trigger sending out a bullet. Timish opened his eyes in shock, shock that he had lost. He began to take in raspy breaths. The end was near. "I've...made a mistake in my game." He gasped. "I shouldn't have overlooked...the power of determination...comes with love...You...have won. My congratulations to you." He fell to the ground and was dead seconds after.

Heero was still breathing heavily. Both from his run there and passing by death so closely. "Thank you Trowa," He said. "Thank you for following me.

"Just repaying my debts." He said. He turned to Mariemaia and lifted her into his arms. "Why don't we get out of here. There's someone who wants to see you."

"Yes, Lady Une will be happy you're safe." Heero added.

"I was talking about you Heero." Trowa stated.

Heero looked suprised. "Me? But..."

Trowa actually laughed. "Yes *you*! A certain pilot who had silently worshiped you for a very long time. Someone who you saved tonight. Let's go."

Heero couldn't say anything. Was it possible that Duo felt the same way he did? He turned and followed Trowa, looking stunned and shocked all the way.

  
  


Day Four:

  
  


"Hey Duo." Quatre said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Still sore." Duo answered. "But I'll be okay."

"He is a Gundam pilot after all." Lady Une said smiling. She was holding Mariemaia in here arms, she hadn't put the girl down for anymore than three minutes since she had gotten her back. "I am so sorry for thinking that you would kidnap Mariemaia for personal gain...she told me what happened. And, well...I know that you never wanted to hurt her, so I'm sorry for thinking that you would."

Duo nodded. "It was partly my fault too. But it's over and done with so let's forget it."

Duo had been rushed to the hospital as soon as Quatre had brought him down to where Relena, Lady Une, Sally and Wufei were waiting. Two hours of surgery was painful for everyone. But he was going to be okay. Police had arrived on the scene after being called. No one was going to worry about what was to be done about Timish and the rest of the Barton Family. It was in the hands of the authorities now.

Suddenly Duo's room door flew open and Hilde came tearing through. She let Duo have it. "Don't you ever do that to me again! You had me worried sick for days! And all I did was go inside to get you your stupid wrench! I was even nice enough to get you a drink! But did you ever taste it?! Noooo..." Hilde yelled for a few more minutes and everyone, including Duo smiled in amusement. They all knew she was doing it because she cared for him so much.

"Are you finished?" Duo asked when she paused to take a breath.

Hilde looked thoughtful. "No." She said "YOU'RE A STUPID FOOL!" She let out a breath and smiled. "I always wanted to say that."

This caused everyone to burst out in laughter. Once everyone had calmed down Heero cleared his throat loudly. "Erm..." he said blushing slightly. "I...need to speak with Duo...in private."

Quatre giggled as Trowa put his arm around the small boys waist and told him to hush. Sally and Wufei grinned at each other and they exited the room. Lady Une, Relena and Hilde looked baffled...that is until Mariemaia exclaimed: "That's so sweet!" Then they all sweatdroped and left the room

"Trowa. I think that Heero and Duo are just what they both need." Quatre said cuddling against him in a chair outside Duo's room. 

"Hai Little One, I think you're right." Trowa replied smiling. He then leaned over and kissed the Arab gently on the lips. Sally looked at them both with envy, but that was soon stopped by Wufei who pulled her in close for one of her own.

Lady Une looked at everyone in shock before covering Mariemaia's eyes. "I think it's time we went home now." 

And so they did.

  
  


Phew! Over two weeks of writing there, and two months of planning! I hope it came out as good as I think it did. Please give me your feed back, I need to know if I should change anything. This story was based on the song "Play the Game Tonight" by Kansas. It took me a long time to get it just the way I wanted. E-mail all comments to me at: lady_of_rain_99@yahoo.com Okay, now for the surprise...This entire fic is dedicated to my Digitwin and best friend in the entire world Sarah Lynn Yack a.k.a Yama Chick. All the work that was put into this is for her, for encouraging me to keep going in whatever it is I'm doing. Domo Arigato Zuto Tomodachi! ^_^ 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  


  
  



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